Electrical problem on indicators

[Athedra]

Went to the shops earlier this evening. Indicators was working perfectly when I left home. On my way back from the shops, noticed that both my front indicators signal when activated. Rear still signals left and right, and my clocks still shown left and right, but both indicators front comes on when signaling either way.

Any idea where to start looking for this problem?

[fredintoon]

Went to the shops earlier this evening. Indicators was working perfectly when I left home. On my way back from the shops, noticed that both my front indicators signal when activated. Rear still signals left and right, and my clocks still shown left and right, but both indicators front comes on when signaling either way.
Any idea where to start looking for this problem?

Hi Athedra,
has to be a false connection in the wiring.
BTW, if you have the stock flasher unit it's pulse rate should increase with 3 signals working instead of 2.

[CatatonicBug]

I would look over the wiring in the headlight bucket very carefully. Make sure there are no crossed wires or melted insulation.

[Athedra]

Checked all the wiring, and seems ok. Think the problem is coming from the flasher unit. Driving with it like that for now.

Is it possible that a earth is off and the two lights are using each other as an earth?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Athedra,

Okay, you've got a 79F in South Africa right!? Standards have both running lights and turn signals up FRONT. You mentioned that both pilot box turn indicators flash independently for each side that is triggered/switched, yet both turn signals flash up front at same time, but not the back!

The power comes from the battery to the flasher, then up to the switch, and then out to the lights, so the flasher is not at fault. It's possibly a loose wire in the signal flasher handlebar assembly...folks have found wires coming loose or unsoldered in there.

We don't have the wiring diagram for your location specific bike. The running lights usually have a blue wire, and the turns use brown and green, and the grounds black. Have you found and tested your front ground wire with a meter by unplugging the wire from the signal, and then testing the harness side for good ground?

Also, have you replaced your signals with LEDS or such?? They do draw very little current, and if they are both plugged into the same ground, it's possible that it's bleeding thru to the other side, but I'm more inclined to think that you've got a wire crossed somewhere in the headlight nest!
T.C.

[Athedra]

It's still normal globes, but thinking about it now, day before this strated I had a fuse blown. My clocks everything just died. I replaced the fuse and one front indicator was not working. I changed both bulbs that day. It is very possible that it started doing that when I changed bulbs, since I dont recall checking each indicator independently that night (Was one of those nights where I just didn't have enough time or hands).

I have a crazy day tomorrow, so will go print the wiring diagram tomorrow night and work through it on Saturday. I will also pop in some diodes just in case it is a leak from the one bulb to the other.

In the meantime I like the LED idea. Never thought of that. Thanks for popping yet another thing on my TO-DO list. Great idea.

[DGXSER]

Since it started when you changed bulbs, are you certain they are the same wattage? If you changed the wattage it will effect how the flasher works. Others here know more about how and what than I do.

[cywelchjr]

It's still normal globes, but thinking about it now, day before this strated I had a fuse blown. My clocks everything just died. I replaced the fuse and one front indicator was not working. I changed both bulbs that day. It is very possible that it started doing that when I changed bulbs, since I dont recall checking each indicator independently that night (Was one of those nights where I just didn't have enough time or hands).

I have a crazy day tomorrow, so will go print the wiring diagram tomorrow night and work through it on Saturday. I will also pop in some diodes just in case it is a leak from the one bulb to the other.

In the meantime I like the LED idea. Never thought of that. Thanks for popping yet another thing on my TO-DO list. Great idea.

Are you sure you didn't put in single filament bulbs? That would likely cause what your seeing. You want 1157 type bulbs rather than 1156 type, and if you have the stock flasher they need to be 27 watt rather than the auto standard 21 watt.

[Athedra]

Double filament as the tail light?

I need to check on the wattage. I got them of the shelve at a spare shop. Was a set of two bulbs of each type.

You think it could be a simple problem like that? A simple wrong bulb?

Had a look at it, considered changing it to a normal flasher, re-thought it, closed the cover had another beer, and promised myself never to tamper with electrical items while having a beer. The next morning I still saw six wires on the flasher unit.

[fredintoon]

- - - The next morning I still saw six wires on the flasher unit.

Hi Athedra,
if you were sober and still saw six wires it weren't the flasher unit you were looking at.
If the six-wire module is a solid state rectangular brick of a thing it's most likely the flasher self-canceling unit.

[Jerry]

You think it could be a simple problem like that? A simple wrong bulb?

Try the simple things first. I had an odd problem in my XJ's front turn lihgts, on close inspection one filament had broken, but fallen across the other, (1157 bulb) and gave some very strange effects when both filaments tried to light up. Replaced bulbs, everything worked fine. Have changed over to "heavy duty" or truck style replacments, found the cheaper bulbs don't last very long. Yes, it can be as simple as the wrong bulb or a broken filament.

[Athedra]

Hi Athedra,
if you were sober and still saw six wires it weren't the flasher unit you were looking at.
If the six-wire module is a solid state rectangular brick of a thing it's most likely the flasher self-canceling unit.

O... ..... "HUN!!! BRING ME ANOTHER BEER!!!"

Self-cancelling unit? How long before they self cancel? (or Suppose to?) and where is the flasher unit then?

Having my hands full with a Conti 125 scooter that cranks but refuses to give me spark, so will look at my XS tomorrow. Looks like I am in for the day on this scooter. Fitted new coil, new TDI and now going to fit a new stator coil. Damn thing just shows me the middle finger so far.

[TopCatGr58]

See this photo:



The turn signal flasher is the silver round cylinder just below the fusepanel. Early model units have this style, later ones have a square/rectangular unit, but it's in the same location, has 3 wires plugging to it in a 3 slot plug.
T.C.

[Athedra]

Yep got one of those.

Ok, so the six wiring thing works how?

[bikerphil]

The flasher cancelling unit (5 wire ?) works in unison with the flasher relay and the reed switch up in the speedometer. The FCU calculates speed/time to determine when to cancel the signals.